Overpopulation Is No Excuse

Wildlife management is a key element in keeping ecosystems healthy. It is no mere "excuse" for hunting; it's a reason, and a very good one, to boot.


ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY: Scare Tactics VS. Culling
Biologists with USDA's Wildlife Services recently used carbon dioxide to euthanize 109 nuisance Canada geese (Branta canadensis) after the birds layered a local park in Bend, Oregon with goose droppings. The meat from the birds was served at local food banks. Growing populations of Canada geese in the region have been a cause for concern for several years, leading park district officials to try several non-lethal methods to disperse the geese, including hazing, paintball guns, the use of dogs, and other scare tactics - all to little or no avail. The problem is costly: in 2009, officials in the Bend Parks and Recreation District spent $22,000 on goose-related clean-ups and maintenance. Hunting Canada geese coincides with the waterfowl season, which usually runs from Sept-Nov depending on your state. (SOURCE)


PRESERVING NATIVE WILDLIFE: Culling Invasive Species
Next to urbanization, these invasive species are the number one reason why a species will become endangered or go extinct. For example, the Hawaiian Islands have recently become overwhelmed by the Axis deer (Axis axis) on several of their smaller islands. Because these animals have no natural predators, the species is able to grow at an alarming rate – around 20-30% each year. This has prompted the response of many hunters from around the United States to try and control their numbers before the deer’s population surplus exceeds the biological carrying capacity. (SOURCE)

Another example would be the Gambian pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus). It is an introduced invasive species in the Florida Keys that is competing with native wildlife such as the Cotton rat (Sigmodon) and Silver rice rat (Oryzomys palustris). This rat can weigh up to nine pounds and grow to be the size of a house cat. Sportsmen help to regulate this out-of-control species by trapping them in order to preserve endangered species such as the Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli). Another benefit of helping to control this invasive species is to prevent the spread of monkeypox, a zoonotic disease that is spread from primates to rodents to humans. (SOURCE)


CONTROLLING NATIVE WILDLIFE: Population Control
Hunting oftentimes becomes confused with the market hunting of the 1800's. In the early 1900's, there were an estimated 500,000 white-tailed deer living in the United States. With the elimination of markets for game at the turn of the 20th century, this restriction for the sole purpose of selling meat has ultimately led to the overabundance of some species, such as the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in suburban areas. Today there are over 20 million and these numbers continue to rise in certain locations. (SOURCE)

A study of wolf population dynamics in Alaska by The Wildlife Society gave evidence that Gray wolves (Canis lupus) are compensatory animals, which essentially means that they make up for those lost by increasing litter sizes (SOURCE). Adams, L. et al, "analyzed information from North American wolf populations and determined... that wolf populations compensate for human exploitation <29% primarily via adjustments in dispersal components." He adds, "Given the limited effects of moderate levels of human take on wolf population... the risks of reducing wolf populations inadvertently through regulated harvest are quite low." World renowned wolf biologist, Dr. David L. Mech, had proposed poisoning, trapping, aerial shooting, baiting, and even open season during the mating season (SOURCE). While this seems extreme to most, the hunter success rate for actually going out to kill a wolf was under one percent in Idaho in 2009 (SOURCE). When asked by media representatives if a wolf hunt would complicate the social structure of wolf packs and result in low pup-survival rates or orphaned pups not learning necessary survival skills, noted wolf biologist Dr. Dave Mech replied that research doesn't support that conclusion. "Most of what wolves require behaviorally for survival is instinctual for wolves. They don't need to be taught by the parents." Research shows that young wolves can survive on their own by September, at four-to-six months of age. (SOURCE)

What's important to remember is that those who truly believe in the "hands-off" approach do not fully appreciate the realities that exist when large, carnivorous predators like the gray wolf share our landscape. "Such a philosophy...is neither practical nor humane," as Jim Hammill declares. If hunters are not the ones who manage these species, then taxpayers - along with the wildlife and habitat - will ultimately be the ones who suffer.

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"The exact carrying capacity of the Earth for humans isn't known because, unlike other species, humans can use technology to increase the Earth's carrying capacity for the species. Currently, scientists estimate that humans are using about 19% of the Earth's primary productivity, which is the ability of living things like plants to make food. Humans also use about half of the world's freshwater. All of this, and we only occupy 2% of the world's landmass. Standing shoulder to shoulder, all 7 billion of us would fill the city of Los Angeles. According to the U.N. Population Database, the world's population in 2010 was going to be 6,908,688,000. The landmass of Texas is 268,820 sq mi (7,494,271,488,000 sq ft). So, divide 7,494,271,488,000 sq ft by 6,908,688,000 people, and you get 1084.76 sq ft/person. That's approximately a 33' x 33' plot of land for every person on the planet, enough space for a town house. Given an average four person family, every family would have a 66' x 66' plot of land, which would comfortably provide a single family home and yard -- and all of them fit on a landmass the size of Texas. Admittedly, it'd basically be one massive subdivision, but Texas is a tiny portion of the inhabitable Earth. Such an arrangement would leave the entire rest of the world vacant. There's plenty of space for humanity."